Brian Powney has no desire to see Albion lose again on Saturday, even though it would remove his name from an unwanted piece of club history.

Long-serving Powney was in goal when Pat Saward's demoted side suffered 12 straight League defeats in 1972-73.

The current day Seagulls will create a new record of 13 in a row if they are beaten by Bradford.

"I wouldn't be pleased if that happens," Powney said. "I want Brighton to start getting some points. With points comes confidence and safety."

Powney, who made almost 400 appearances in 14 years with Albion, runs a vending machine business and is a minor shareholder with First Division rivals Gillingham.

He is not surprised the Seagulls are struggling as they did under Saward after winning promotion the previous season.

"A lot of people still identify me with Brighton when I tour my factories and I told them all it would be tremendously hard for them," Powney said.

"The problem at Brighton now is very much the same as when I was there. I watch Division One with Gillingham and it's a cracking League.

"The gulf between it and Division Two is absolutely enormous, just like it was between Two and Three in my day.

"They have been promoted twice with virtually the same side and the players, with all due respect to them, are probably not up to it as in our day we weren't.

"Sadly they lost Peter Taylor, who in my experience with Gillingham is a very good manager. Hinsh (Martin Hinshelwood) bravely tried to do a job and now they have got Steve Coppell, but it's a tall order for any manager without money to spend at this level."

History emphasises the massive task Coppell faces to keep Albion up. Stockport, tailed off at the foot of the First Division last season, had twice as many points at the same stage.

So too did the Seagulls when they survived relegation from the Football League in the final game at Hereford in 1996-97.